Linque's Concepts

[Linque•]

Hello. I posted these in some thread some months ago, but now that there are a lot of new people around, I'll make a separate thread for my concepts and level ideas. I'll update this thread whenever I put out more concepts or updates about the levels I've planned. Currently I've got two level designs from Feb-April; note that these plans were draw before we knew about triggers, switches, enemies and hazards, so there are a lot of stuff missing that will make it to the final versions. I've also spent some time planning out a few boss battles, but I want to keep those under wraps at least for now, perhaps posting them after the levels are out there for everyone to play.

Okay, without further ado, here are the two level designs I've drawn so far:

[Linque•]

Cruel Contraptions

The basic premise of this level is to climb a big structure (perhaps a big robot, or just some other giant construction), eventually reaching the top. It'll be a very mechanized and electricity-themed level, in addition to plenty of spikes and piston-like hazards. Another thing to note about this level is that you need a minimum of two players to finish this level. There are a lot of situations where the other player needs to assist the other player / pull a lever while the other one proceeds. There are a lot of places where I had pushable/pullable blocks in the way, but these will be replaced by triggers. Also, expect there to be all sorts of mechanized enemies roaming the level in addition to the platforming hazards you see in the concept I've linked below.

Cruel Contraptions

[Linque•]

Treetop Escape

This is the first major concept I drew, which can be noticed from the worse drawing quality than Cruel Contraptions. This is more along the lines of a traditional platformer, with a lot of rope swinging and fiery hazards included. A single player level, you begin as a captive in a village of some tribe which lives in the trees, with huts and platforms build high up. Needless to say, it's a long way down, so you need to watch your step the whole time. You'll be facing the fire hazards I already mentioned, but also possibly some angry villagers trying to prevent your escape. This will be a timed level with a few choices in paths - there are easy, slower routes to take, but also much harder and faster options for experts. You can see more detail about some of the things I have planned from the link below.

Treetop Escape

Something that's related to Treetop Escape.

[Linque•]

Obstacle / Contraption / Enemy Concepts



The Rotator - Obstacle Concept

A very simple premise. You have a platform attached to a bolt that moves along a suspended rail. There is a 3-way switch in the center of the platform. Depending on which direction you pull the switch, the platform is going to move either clockwise or counterclockwise around the bolt. The player needs to rotate the platform to the correct position in order to accomplish an objective, be it collecting items, avoiding death or anything else. In my concept picture, I also drew a pressure switch on the right hand side of the platfrom, so that in case the platform hits any of the walls, the platform explodes and you have to start over (so that you can't get stuck next to a wall).







Magical Flying Platforms - Contraption Concept

A video tells more than a thousand words. Below is also a picture depicting how the platforms are made.


[Watch YouTube Video]



Basically what I have behind the wall is a rail made of dark matter, and on both sides of the rail are a set of rubber wheels that are bound together by a rubber plate. These wheels are constantly in contact with the rail. Doing this, we achieve the effect that the system moves along the rail as the wheels turn, even upwards. Getting the pressure between the wheels and the rails is possible by making the rail a bit thinner in the beginning. The rail ought to be slightly thicker than the distance between the two wheels.

The platform Sackboy gets to play with is attached to two of these sets of wheels by loose bolts, so it can turn whichever way you want.

--------------------

I've been receiving a lot of questions about the 'magical platforms', specifically about how to connect the platform to an object behind a wall. It has to do with thin layers and how thin objects collide with other objects in game. I'll write a short explanation how the system works here.

I'll define the layers so everyone knows what we're talking about. Let's call the three thick playable layers A, B and C. C is the closest one to the screen, A is the closest one to the background. We'll call the thin layers xA, AB, BC and Cx, based on between which two thick layers they exist. So xA is the background layer, Cx the foreground layer and AB and BC the two thin layers between the thick ones. Here's a diagram of all the layers to make it easier to understand:

--- = Thin layer
OO = Thick layer

--- xA
OO A
--- AB
OO B
--- BC
OO C
--- Cx


We can make objects with different thickness values: 0, 1 2 and 3. Thickness value 0 is called thin, and can exist only on one of the four thin layers (xA AB BC or Cx). Values 1 2 and 3 tell us how many of the thick layers the objects exists on. There is one very important thing to take not of here: Objects with a thickness value of 2 also exist on the thin layer between the two thick layers. Objects with a thickness value of 3 exists on both of the middle thin layers, AB and BC (but never on xA or Cx). Another important thing to understand is that an object only collides with objects that exist on at least one same layer.

I'll give you some examples to demonstrate how this works. Let's have a square block, thickness 1, on layer A, and another identical block on layer B. Neither of these blocks exist on layer AB, therefore if we make a thin slice of wood on layer AB and drop it on top of the two square blocks, it's going to fall right through them, through the 'crack'. Now, here's another important observation you need to make: the thin slice of wood falls through the crack regardless of whether the other blocks are glued together or not. Gluing components to each other never changes the layers the components exist in. Now, let's have the same square block, this time with a thickness of 2, existing in both layers A and B. As I said before, thicker objects also exist on the thin layers, so this object actually exists on layer A, AB and B. This means that if we now make a thin slice of wood in the layer AB and drop it on top of this object, it's going to collide with it and stack on top of the thick square block, not fall through as it mysteriously did before.

The point here is, that having three objects glued together on layers A B and C is not the same thing as having one object with a thickness of 3. This phenomenom can be used to do all sorts of tricks, from hiding mechanics behind walls and making objects go through walls.


I'll add pictures later to make this easier to read and comprehend.

--------------------


LEVEL VIDEOS:

Beta Level - Glass Challenge - Introduces Obstacle: Vanishing Blocks

This is the first real level I made. Really small, really compact, not flashy or special, just an ordinary platforming level from start to finish. This is the kind of stuff I'm going to lash out in the future - just more polished, better looking and even more innovative and entertaining.

[Watch YouTube Video]

[Marino]

Nice. With all of those posts, I'm guessing you have a LOT of ideas?

I can't wait to read them all.

[Linque•]

Nice. With all of those posts, I'm guessing you have a LOT of ideas?

I can't wait to read them all.

I've got loads of ideas, but the two I've posted so far are the only ones I have something to share with you yet. I'm meaning to keep this thread as the main place where I'll post stuff regarding my levels even after LBP is released and the designing is under way. So for now, the three blank replies will remain blank.

[Marino]

Cruel Contraptions

The basic premise of this level is to climb a big structure (perhaps a big robot, or just some other giant construction), eventually reaching the top. It'll be a very mechanized and electricity-themed level, in addition to plenty of spikes and piston-like hazards. Another thing to note about this level is that you need a minimum of two players to finish this level. There are a lot of situations where the other player needs to assist the other player / pull a lever while the other one proceeds. There are a lot of places where I had pushable/pullable blocks in the way, but these will be replaced by triggers. Also, expect there to be all sorts of mechanized enemies roaming the level in addition to the platforming hazards you see in the concept I've linked below.

Cruel Contraptions

Treetop Escape

This is the first major concept I drew, which can be noticed from the worse drawing quality than Cruel Contraptions. This is more along the lines of a traditional platformer, with a lot of rope swinging and fiery hazards included. A single player level, you begin as a captive in a village of some tribe which lives in the trees, with huts and platforms build high up. Needless to say, it's a long way down, so you need to watch your step the whole time. You'll be facing the fire hazards I already mentioned, but also possibly some angry villagers trying to prevent your escape. This will be a timed level with a few choices in paths - there are easy, slower routes to take, but also much harder and faster options for experts. You can see more detail about some of the things I have planned from the link below.

Treetop Escape

WOAH. You drew those?? What program did you use? EXCELLENT job!

[Linque•]

I've been using Paint Shop Pro. I like it better than Photoshop, but that's just because PSP was the program I started using first.

And thanks. :)
Just FYI, it takes me probably around 20-30h of work to plan and draw one of those. Tho there's of course endless amounts of tweaking to be done and by now those plans are a bit outdated. But if you ask me, creating levels is a whole lot easier when you actually draw a plan about what you make, even if it doesn't turn out to be 1:1.

[Noonian]

I am in awe of your level designs...
you should be very proud of your work...
your levels are unforgivingly brutal...and I love it...

I am 5 staring this thread it deserves to be seen...

keep up the good work bro...I'm a big fan!

[Darth_Spartan]

Good ideas, you are really doing some good work. Can't wait to see them finished.

[StrikerBack]

Very awesome work!

I look forward to playing your levels.

[docpac]

Uh, man. These are great. I'll be sure to keep a look out for these levels when LBP comes out.

[Cartoonguy]

Your drawings are awesome and the time you spent to make a blueprint is outstanding to be so patient. I want to play your levels for sure.

[Linque•]

Thank you for the comments!

I encourage people to try make blueprints of their levels as well. It's surprisingly easy to see what works and what doesn't just by trying to draw something. It will also make it easier for you to think about the scale of different things in the level. It'll also save you a whole lot of time when actually creating the level, when you don't have to do so much trial & error in the editor itself.

If you have a scanner, it's really easy to draw with a pencil. See Shiwayari's "The Wheel" thread to see another good example of a blueprint. If you want to try draw a plan with a PC, I'd suggest getting any vector drawing program (Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro both work, but there are a lot of freeware drawing software available as well - just keep in mind that you probably want to have vector drawing support). Vector drawing means that you give the program start and end nodes, and the program draws a line between these two points - either a straight line or a curved one if you want it to. By chaining up these nodes together you can make pretty much all sorts of shapes and forms really easily and it looks pretty good, even if you're not that experienced.

Oh, and any suggestions regarding my levels or really any feedback in general is welcome!

[docpac]

I like both of your levels. If I were allowed to suggest anything it would be this. Make the actual robot a bit more complex. I know its a sketch but rather than the tradition "the day the earth stood still" robot, creating something more unusual looking would be much more interesting. One robot concept I actually got from reading yours, and subsequently sleeping, is a giant city destroying shoe/car factory. Sounds silly but all the gears and belts and smaller robot "enemies" actually serve a purpose inside the beast of a machine.

The level layout you have is fantastic though. The gameplay would be crazy fun. Did I read somewhere you had a hand in some other games? I may have mixed you up with someone. Either way your platform design is beyond mine.

[Linque•]

I get what you're saying. I'm leaning towards it being some sort of a giant factory gone bad. It'll also be easier to build a level around that and it allows for more freedom in the design. Things like small robot-enemy spawns that come from inside the factory comes to mind. It also makes more sense to have defense systems in the factory than on the side of a robot.


About my background, I've only been part of creating user-made levels and mods in a few games, I haven't been involved in anything bigger than that. Just and old-school gamer who loves platformers and creating stuff. :)

[docpac]

Thats right. I had to go back and read your introduction. C64 and Ultima. Ya, you're oldschool.

[Abs1nth3]

Wow! Great concepts Linque. Very inspiring!

This has got me to thinking about spending the time and draw out my ideas too. They're in my head but with them on paper it seems easier to add more and more, making the level complete.

Thanks!

[aer0blue]

Cruel Contraptions? Treetop Escape?? Holy crap! Linque I know who you are. From GameFAQs/Gamespot forums!

[Stix489]

Wow man...both these stages look professional...I cannot wait to actually play them when LBP comes out! xD

I like the first one more...it's genius! =D